New Boat Bikes !

Well, what do you do when you're stuck in a town called Penetanguishene for 2 days longer than planned? YOU GO SHOPPING! Check out our new boat bikes! Pretty cool, Eh? Mine is the yellow one...Chip picked red! They fold up and fit neatly into bags which can be easily carried and stored! That is Penetang Harbour in the background. Notice we have the first slip coming into the marina--this has made for some EXTREMELY bouncy moments!

Looks like the weather will break tomorrow...winds have been pretty crazy...15 to 20 knots. We are only going 12 miles, but I'm at the mercy of a very cautious captain! It should be so much fun anchoring out...we are headed to a sweet, little cove near Honey Harbour called Frying Pan Bay...hoping to get some serious fishing in...I decided "frying pan bay" got its name because of all the trout one can catch there...you know, and fry it up in a pan...one can only hope! Anyway, we will be away from email and Internet connections for a week or so...(what will I do?) cell phones should work fine...if you really miss us, just call.

Thank You Blog Readers

When I started this blog, the idea was so that our kids, grandkids, my mom, friends and family could all keep track of our whereabouts...I have since come to realize that much of the time our loved ones are busy and don't read the blog as often as I thought they might, but perfect strangers are enjoying it very much. I get emails from people I don't even know. I have boaters in marinas stop me and say, "Hey! aren't you Ithaka? I'm enjoying your blog!" This will not create the need for me to change my content...in the end, I am really doing this so that Chip and I have a nice story to read when we are back home...or maybe when we are old and in the home! ha ha
Anyway, for those of you that look forward to reading the blog, like watching a t.v. show with a cliff hanger and waiting eagerly for the next episode, we thank you for coming along for the ride...To our loved ones who don't get a chance to read it as often as they'd like, we love you no matter what and (most of the time) wish you were here (one at a time) experiencing this adventure with us first hand...To our loved ones who do read it often and tell others about it, your encouragement and comments mean more than you will ever know...For those thinking of doing the loop and reading the blog hoping to find some tips and advice, I'm sorry I don't post that sort of thing as often as I should, but I will try from time to time to write about the really important stuff...promise.

Well, the generator is fixed...High marks go to Frasier at Doral Marina outside of Midland. We are a little behind in our schedule (I use that term loosely--schedule, what schedule?), but that is boating and besides-the wind is blowing at about 15 to 20 knots today so I doubt we'd be going anywhere anyway...We are now in Penetanguishene (just say it as it is spelled); arrived yesterday afternoon. We went to a play last night with 14 other loopers. It was at a fabulous venue called The King's Wharf Theatre...right on the water, there were tall ships in the harbour. The name of the show was Sorry..I'm Canadian, and everyone was glad Chip was there to translate! It was a bit of a geography lesson with humour and dancing and wonderful music by The K9 Four...Canada truly is a magnificent country!

OK, now here are a few of those tips I promised you:

1.) Be very careful coming out of lock #45. The water is very skinny, the current swift and buoys are very close together...under the bridge is particularly hazardous. The next narrow spot with lots of twists and turns is the Waubaushene Channel. While at the Doral Marina a boat came in, a brand new 70' Marlow, that hit a rock and messed up their rudder, props and hull just because they missed one little buoy...and this was done by a professional captain that the new owners hired to make this leg of the trip for them! Yikes!
2.) PLEASE be careful on deck...here at Bay Moorings Marina, there are two loopers in the hospital; one fell overboard at lock #45 leaning over the railing to take photos (remember, ONE HAND ALWAYS ON THE BOAT) and one got knocked out cold by a runaway dinghy cable, it just snapped!...crazy, huh?
3.) Bay Moorings Marina is the BEST place to stay in Penetanguishene. This town is the most convenient first stop coming into Georgian Bay. The facility is well equipted (they even have a nice pool) and the service is great! Thank you Mary!
4.) Great weather website: http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/

Once we head out of here it could be days or even a week between blog posts as we will be doing a lot of anchoring...Until then, "Thank you blog readers".

Divine Order

For those of you who know me, you know, I always try to look for the good in each situation--this morning when I said my prayers, I told Chip that I felt something really amazing was in store for us today. --that the mishap which happened yesterday at the marina which messed up our generator was just God's way of letting us know that He thinks our plans are good, but His are better.

After locking through the last lock on The Trent Severn, we found ourselves heading into Georgian Bay in a different direction than that which was in our plan...Our mail is waiting for us in Penetanguishene, but our boat needs to get fixed in Midland Bay at The Doral Marina Resort (the marina that we were referred to after the other marina in Port Severn accidentally broke our generator). We did not have a "specific" chart for Tiffin Basin, so I checked all the guides about the area that Chip has onboard and sure enough, clear directions for getting into the marina was in one of the books. God's order moves in and through all things...even Tiffin Basin.

I didn't know what unplanned joy awaited, but I was certain of a positive outcome...I actually look forward to God's surprises when things don't go as planned. Come to find out there is a Martyrs' Shrine, built up on a hillside, within walking distance of the Doral Marina. So while Chip worked with the mechanics here, I decided to take a walk. It was up a narrow country road and it was ALL uphill...huffing and puffing...half way there (it was about 2 miles) I wondered if maybe I misunderstood God's plan for me to visit the site. Luckily one of the men working at the marina told me about a fence on the back of the shrine's property -that if I scaled it I would be inside the grounds (Don't worry, I put more than the 3$ entry fee in the collection box). It was a much quicker entrance for someone on foot. Anyway, I ended up in this HUGE field and off in the distance I could see what looked like a small band shell. As it turned out it was an alter, built in 1984 for a visit from Pope John Paul II where he gave a mass to a million people. Today, I was the only person there, standing on the alter I began to cry. It was an amazing feeling, and just for a moment my faith was that which I had as a child...no metaphors, no science, just a simple unshaken faith...I can barely remember that time when I didn't question and seek. But for that moment, I was about five years old and in awe of something much bigger than I am...and certain that I was a part of it.

As I walked around the sacred grounds, I found memorials, peace gardens, monuments and shrines to saints including the eight Franciscan priests who were massacred here on this site in 1639. The church itself, built in 1926, is a place where men and woman come from all over the world to be healed and there were hundreds of crutches and canes on the alter...and a sculpture of Mary with Jesus as a baby in her arms with children representing all the children of the world surrounding her...one of the most lovely depictions of Mary I have ever seen.

When I got back to the marina I told Chip all about the beautiful things I experienced so we borrowed the managers van here at Doral because I wanted him to see the church and the Papal Alter, too. We walked around the grounds together and found our way following a path under a highway bridge to the burial site of 2 of the martyrs at a place called Sainte-Marie-amoung-the Hurons. I was so glad that we had the time to come back together because even Chip said seeing it for himself was so much grander than I could explain...We discovered together also that St. Joseph is the patron saint of Canada. I bought a little booklet about the shrine called, "Saints Lived Here" which I look forward to reading.

Looks like the generator will get fixed in a day or two, and I am thankful for divine order everyday. Amen

From Trenton to Port Severn

The Trent Severn Waterway:

16 days
240 miles
44 locks
28 bruises (I counted them)
10 bottles of wine
8 wonderful new friends
3 lost fishing lures
2 good size bass
1 bee sting (michele's finger)
millions of wild flowers
billions of stars
AND, countless magical moments--I'll post some of the highlights from the past few days...just too numerous to tell all...

We spent 3 nights in Orillia...right downtown at the port. On Friday we provisioned, did laundry and general cleaning...our Ithaka was sparkling! We had everyone over to our boat for Happy Hour...Chip made us all Caesars..the Canadian equivalent to Bloody Marys (only better!)...it was loads of fun...and he's got everybody saying, "Eh?"It's hilarious! --Up early on Saturday and walked to the Farmer's Market--found a scrumptious store along the way called The Mariposa Market...it was set up like an old fashioned general store with fresh breads, homemade fudge, jams, dips and the best chocolate cake I have ever had in my life!!! Why didn't I buy two!? By noon we were set up in our folding chairs along Centennial Drive waiting for the parade to begin. 25 Scottish Drum and Pipes bands marched by--it was a fantastic show. Afterwards we walked through the park along the water front where dozens of vendors were selling arts and crafts and food and ice cream. Chip bought me a new hat. There were plays going on and jousting, music playing, cloggers dancing...it was a really nice day.

Sunday morning we left the dock early in a thick fog. It rained most of the day, and of course as soon as we approached a lock it came down in buckets. By the time we got to the dock on the top-side of Big Chute we were soaked to the bone. One of the prettiest parts of the cruise was a narrow passage called McDonald's Cut. It is a beautiful, deep gorge...even in the grey mist we enjoyed the pink and orange rocks layered with lichen and velvety ferns...it gave us a taste of what is to come in Georgian Bay.

Once docked, we spent hours walking around the lock at Big Chute observing how it works and preparing ourselves for our big ride the next morning. This is a marine railway lift...and I am told, the only one of its kind in North America. The overall lift is 58', but you actually cover more than 600 feet over dry land from one lake to another. It is spectacular to watch, but to actually take the ride yourself on your very own vessel is unreal. I will attempt to put a few photos on the blog, but I am sure they will pale in comparison to the actual experience.

Anyway, we got up early yesterday morning and were the first at the lock wall. Our 3 other travelling companions lined up behind us...Up and over, the trip takes about 7 minutes and the lock hands are so good at what they do you hardly give a thought to whether or not they have you fastened in securely. Before you know it you're up out of the water and sliding down the other side. We tied up at the public docks on the downside and waited for our buddies. We waited...and waited...a very bad storm blew through just moments after we got off the train and it knocked the power out...4 hours later...still waiting and after walking back over to the other side a few times to check on them, we decided to leave and get to our next stop here in Port Severn. About 4 hours later they pulled in, tired from the crazy day, but with many stories to tell.

This morning Chip took Ithaka over to a local marina to have the oil and filters changed...I stayed behind, here where we are mooring for a couple of days, because they have a nice laundry facilty plus I thought it best to take advantage of the internet while I can...once we head into Georgian Bay we may be a week between ports as we expect to mostly just anchor in quiet bays and coves. Anyway, that was about 6 hours ago and I got word earlier that the mechanic put the oil in the wrong input (I do not know mechanic terms)...all I know is now it will take a week (or so they say) to get a mecahnic up here to Port Severn to get the oil out of the generator that was supposed to go into the engine and we are hoping it did not damage the generator...I have not yet spoken to Chip directly. Captain Guy and Captain Bud went over to the other marina in a dinghy to check on Chip and came back with the news...I'll let you know how this turns out, but not to worry...this is all part of boating. We are fine, we are safe, we have clean clothes and we still have some chocolate cake left. Yahoo!

Our Timing Is Perfect

I am sitting at a picnic bench at a city dock in Orillia working off battery power so I am not sure how much I will get posted on the blog today...I know I probably won't get any photos downloaded. But, for now...

We left Bobcaygeon on Wednesday morning and began the trip to the Kirkfield Lift lock...they say it is not nearly as impressive as the lock in Peterborough (not true), and at Kirkfield we hit the "summit" of the waterway and began our descent down to Georgian Bay.

We enjoyed another glorious day with few clouds in the sky and little wind, which suits us "fair weather sailors" just fine--the first half of the day we cruised across Sturgeon Lake, best known for its immense cottages which line the lakefront, each with equally elaborate boat houses. I loved taking our time through the Fenlon River and Fenlon Falls area where at one point we rounded a blind corner only to be surprised by high-sided limestone walls dotted with yellow and purple wild flowers and a row of old style boat houses and funky docks, brightly painted--some with wooden ladders reaching up to the top of the cliffs where the cabins sat.

We crossed Cameron Lake and Balsam Lake (841 feet above sea level--that's a lot of locking!)and Mitchell Lake...and as we meandered our way through the lakes and rivers, it was never more clear how the the idea for the waterway was conceived. There were times when the man made channel was no more than 20' wide...thank goodness no other big boats were heading in the opposite direction. The water was so clear, we could see the rocks and lake grasses just below the surface.

Locking through at Kirkfield was awesome...The lift structure is NOT enclosed, so when you drive into the container you almost feel like you could just cruise right off the end. There we were, just hanging out there, floating nearly 5 stories up in the air, tied to the starboard side with 2 lines! It was a thrill! That night we slept at the bottom of the lock, moored to the lock wall. It was a very remote area, about 2 miles from the little town of Kirkfield. We walked to a small, country cookin' restaurant for dinner near the top lock...it was our very first night to eat dinner at a restaurant since we left Brewerton!

On Thursday we headed out and thought we would get as far as Lake Simcoe, but when we went through the last lock and saw how calm the water was we went for it. It was like gliding across glass. Perfect! We had been concerned for days because so many people told us to wait until a good day to cross the lake due to the winds this time of year...one can really get bounced around. We had the most perfect crossing and got into Orillia ahead of schedule...we even went for a swim off the back of the boat once we docked...it was fabulous!

I think we are going to stay here in Orillia for a couple of days---there seems to be a lot to do. Tomorrow there will be a huge parade through town with 25 marching bands--celebrating The 31st annual Orillia Scottish Festival...Our timing for this kind of thing is always perfect...we could not plan it any better...

The weather, the new friends, the activities...Our Timing is Perfect!

Is Bob Cajun?

We spent a lovely day in the little hamlet of Bobcaygeon (pronounced Bob-Cajun). This is the site of the first lock built on The Trent Severn Waterway. Everything here is just so charming. Something to delight the mad shoppers and nature lovers equally. I was in the biggest shoe store I have EVER been in in my life! AND...I did NOT buy one pair! I took my temperature as soon as I got back to the boat...I'm not sure what was wrong with me, but Captain Chip's credit card was grateful.

This morning we will edge our way ever closer to Georgian Bay...hoping to make it as far as the Kirkland Lift Lock where the reds will begin to be on our port side AND we will begin descending! Hey, do you know how they came up with left being "port" and "starboard" meaning the right side on a boat? Well, years ago when the big sail boats would come into a port, their landing board was on the left side of the vessel: where they docked(or made port), and their steering board, or the side where they steered using the stars was on the right side...pretty simple. Chip insists on talking boat talk when we are on the boat, so when we are coming into a dock or a lock he always says, "get your lines ready on the port side". I just say left and right...and like fork, port has 4 letters...so I know it's my left...

Kawartha Lakes

My heart raced as we made our approach to the Peterborough Lift Lock. We took the lift with 3 other loopers, Sunshine, Southern Comfort and Blue Max. It took only a minute to complete the transfer...For those interested, here's how it works:

The lock raises and lowers boats in 2 separate containers. Each container is 140' long and hold about 300,000 gallons of water weighing approximately 1,500 tons. Two vertical "cylinders" , called chamber rams, each 65' tall, are connected in a closed water hydraulic system...in other words, any movement of one container forces the equal and opposite movement of the other container..kinda' like a common scale. When the upper container is filled with just one additional foot of water it begins to lower...and if you are wondering, it doesn't matter how many or how big the boats are that are in the container; boats displace their own weight. Anyway, for those of you who know me well, you know that standing on a step stool makes me dizzy-imagine the butterflies I felt as we lifted up above the channel below, in a boat, floating in a tub of water, on a chamber ram, attached to a limestone building constructed over 100 years ago, nearly 7 stories in the air! Thrilling!

We continued up the channel when Blue Max began to over heat. We tied up on the topside of a lock and decided to all stay together. Turns out Captain Bill had a few zebra muscles making a home in his intake, clogging the flow--anyway, Captain Guy put on his wetsuit, goggles and airtank and went down to clean it out...once we were off again we decided to call it a night and stay on the wall at Lock #26 in Lakefield. Bill's wife Eileen and their friend Clarissa made us all a fabulous dinner to show their appreciation for all of us "sticking together".

Up early on Monday- a few of us walked into town for breakfast, then once back at the boats we took off for what would be the most beautiful part of the trip so far. We are now in an area called The Kawartha Lakes. This is the highlight of the Trent...more beauty than words can describe.
There are hundreds of islands scattered about, everywhere rocks jutting out just above the water's surface-and we can see that rocks abound just below the surface, too. At times we had less than 4' under the boat...We kept our speed down, stayed right in the well marked channel, and gazed out and breathed in the scenery. Thank you God.

At lock #31 we marked the half-way point of the Trent...I don't know how anyone completes this trip in less than two weeks! Guess they miss a lot along the way...not us. We are trying to take our time and celebrate every minute of everyday the blessings that surround us.

Now we are in a little village called Bobcaygeon...decided to stay at this marina through tomorrow. The fellow in charge, "Skipper", is a character. The upcoming lock (#32) was the first built on the waterway. The downtown area is quaint and charming and I've been told has the best shoe store in Canada! I hope they have a pair of pink flip-flops!

Canoe canoe?

Captain Chip and I have had a very nice visit in Peterborough. The marina and staff couldn't have been nicer. We are in the best slip in the place and the marina itself is within walking distance to everything you could want or need. *We did learn one lesson...Overnight shipment does not occur "overnight" in Canada from outside of the country...a package with our mail sent from home which should have arrived here at the marina on Thursday was still not here yesterday...it took 48 hours for it clear customs. Anyway, we decided to have it forwarded onto another stop up the river, but for those of you reading this that are having mailed shipped into Canada, UPS does not deliver on Saturdays. I would suggest having all mail sent on Mondays to give it plenty of time to clear customs before the end of the week...

We enjoyed a day out biking around town yesterday...We went to The Canadian Canoe Museum--it was so interesting to explore the significance of the canoe to the people of Canada. Stories were told throughout the museum in beautifully constructed exhibits...from the native Indians, the first explorers, the French and British influences, trading posts, mapping expeditions...One of the things that struck me was that the Jesuits travelled by canoe in the 1600's to spread Christianity to some of the most remote parts of the country. Imagine that? Canoes connected Canada's people for centuries. The canoe is the pride of Peterborough: it is the canoe building capital of the world! As a side note, I learned that Canada derived its name from "Kanata", a Ouendat word (The Huron Indians) meaning meeting place.

After that we biked up to the locks 20 and 21. At lock 20, the lock attendant let me close the lock! Most of the locks are opened and closed manually...it was pretty neat that he let me do it! Of course, Chip got a photo. --Lock 21 is known as The Peterborough Lift Lock. It is the highest hydraulic lift lock in the world! Over 65 feet! It is incredible that this machine was designed in the late 1800's. Construction lasted over 7 years and it was opened in 1904. We wanted to see it first hand before venturing into it today. The photos can't begin to put you there, but I did my best to capture a few shots to show the massive size of the lock. The fact that it was engineered over a century ago and still works on the same premise with no room for improvement fascinated me. It is a marvel and I am looking forward to experiencing it from the "inside" today!

Last night we visited with the other loopers here at the marina. By 5 p.m. yesterday there were over a dozen boats with the AGCLA burgee! It is always fun to share stories and experiences with folks doing the same thing we are doing. We have definitely seen more loopers this year than we would have imagined. Most of the loopers are older than us and retired full time...I think we are the only couple still "working"...gives us the idea that we may have to do this again someday! Maybe on a canoe!

Locking through with the loopers!

This is a great shot of us and 3 other "loopers" locking through yesterday on our way into Peterborough. It's a small lock; only about 10'... Wait till tomorrow when we go up in the Peterborough Lift Lock. The highest lift lock in the world at 65'. Yikes!

A Map of Sorts

I took this photo of a "cartoon" map of The Trent Severn Waterway
because I thought if you click on it, it would give you a bit of an idea of the
zig-zag channels, lakes and rivers we are navigating. (We started in the bottom right corner)
We have now completed 89 nautical miles and 19 locks in 5 days...It's a slow go,
First we go north, then we go south...
but, Oh the places we've been! the sites we've seen!

The Hub of The Trent

The little town of Hastings, population 1,100 is known as the "hub" of the Trent. We had a super time discovering the charm of yet another small town. The Hastings Village Marina gets an A++ for their helpfulness, cleanliness, convenience to town and their first class hospitality. We suggested that they get involved as a sponsor with the AGLCA. We had a great late lunch of Fish 'n' Chips at the Family Restaurant on Main Street yesterday...then back at the marina we had a little impromptu cocktail party with the other loopers that were staying at the marina. We have met some wonderful people on this trip so far and for sure, more loopers in the first 10 days than all of last summer put together! Later in the evening Chip and I walked back across the river to the gazebo where there was a free concert going on. We stayed for a few songs and stopped to get an ice cream cone before heading back to Ithaka.

Today we travelled from Hastings to Peterborough along with Southern Comfort, Sunshine and Blue Max (other loopers going north)...we crossed Rice Lake, which actually does get its name because it once was a rice field. The Indians grew wild rice there before the Trent Severn controlled the water levels. We even passed by a Hiawatha Indian Reserve. The lake is about 20 miles long by 3 miles wide and is a consistent 12-14 feet of depth throughout. We then proceeded up to where we are now, Peterborough. Only going through one lock all day. Samuel Champlain is said to have navigated the Otonabee River in 1615. The Otonabee was quiet, dark and murky...winding its way around the farms and hills...we spotted great blue herons, osprey and fish jumping. It was chilly...about 60 degrees. Cloudy and yet, a perfect boating day!

We are in a "real" town now. Peterborough is about 1 hour east Toronto. It is the largest city on The Trent Severn Waterway. We are here through Monday morning, so with good phone and internet service you can count on me blogging a few times before we head out into the wilderness!

A Day in Campbellford

Chip and I spent 2 nights in Campbellford. It is a quaint little town...docked at Mill Oak Park. It was very comfortable and within walking distance to everything. A "No Frills" grocery store, an ice cream shop, a wonderful bakery (Dooher's) and even a Canadian Tire Store (Canada's equivilant to Home Depot)...we were beat after a long day getting there so we weren't in a hurry to leave.

We rode bikes up to the top of the double lock that we had gone through the day before to see what it looked like from the top looking down (see photo). We also went across the Ranney Gorge Suspension Bridge. This span of steel was designed, engineered and built by the Canadian 81st Airborne Regiment. We were about 20 meters above the Trent River at Ranney Falls. There were nesting Osprey, "Beware of Bear" signs and a lovely trail through Ferris Park which ran along the river back into town.

We had a great day...then today we took off and are now settled in the village of Hastings, population 1,100--looks like we will stay put again for a couple of days before crossing Rice Lake and heading to Peterborough for the weekend.

A Different Perspective

This photo is taken from the bow of Ithaka. We are inside the "flight" lock (11 & 12) at Ranney Falls in the town of Campbellford, Ontario. This takes you around the gorge. Unlike most of the other locks that we went through which were manually operated, this lock is operated hydraulically.

The Trent-Severn Waterway

We left Fraser Park Marina in Trenton at 8:30 a.m. yesterday-the locks don't open till then so we aren't able to head out early as we normally like...The folks at the marina were wonderful and I would highly recommend it as the start off point for anyone doing the loop planning to head up to Georgian Bay via this route.

A little history: The Trent-Severn Waterway was mainly constructed as an inland navigation route to connect Lake Ontario to Georgian Bay. It took 87 years to build! Completed in 1920, it became a principal recreational waterway right from the start. Recreation seekers discovered Rice lake, Lake Simcoe and The Kawarthas...all now connected by a system of 44 locks. (we are between locks 12 & 13 now).

The locks are different than those in the New York canal system- The lockmasters do not communicate with us via radio and there aren't any lights (red & green in NY) indicating when one should proceed into the canal. Our binoculars are coming in handy...we just look ahead and if the lock is open we go in. Most of the time the prior lock's attendant has called ahead so they are expecting us. The locks are smaller, too. We locked through all day with 3 big boats and that's about all they could handle. In fact, we alternated rafting off with a 43' Gulfstar all day. One similarity is the condition of the parks surrounding the locks...as in New York, each lockmaster takes a lot of pride in his or hers grounds; almost like a competition. I find that I like locking up better than locking down because I enjoy the anticipation of what's over the top!

We enjoyed lunch during the 6 mile break between locks 6 & 7- and after 7, the Glen Ross Lock, the landscape really began to get pretty. We meandered through rock outcrops (not to worry, the river was well marked), seagrass and charming summer cottages lined the shoreline...miles and miles of water lilies...and turtles sunning themselves...and ospreys and gulls swooning, majestic blue herons posing for the camera and Canada Geese, well you know what Canada Geese do best! ~ this stretch is very marshy...rural and peaceful. Between Lock 7 & 8 we had another long break, eleven miles where the river opened and the breeze kicked in and the sun was glorious. It was good to get that break because the day was getting long and we had our 5 toughest locks ahead of us. Within 3 miles we climbed over 100 feet through locks 9, 10, 11 and 12. Locks 11 and 12 are at Ranney Falls, there are 2 locks back to back, you don't leave the lift you just proceed forward for a total of 48'. Yikes! I took a photo and will try to add it to the blog...it was really cool! We arrived in Campbellford after 6:30 p.m. It was a long and strenuous day. We ended up having to dock twice because the first spot we picked on the mooring wall didn't have the amperage we needed! Ah! Once we got settled in we saw our buddies on Southern Comfort and Sunshine round the bend...they had been one lock behind us all day and decided to call it quits in Campbellford, too. We are going to stay the day...no need to rush on...they have a chocolate factory here so I'm hoping to meet Willie Wonka!

This morning our muscles are aching, but we are excited that we travelled 31 miles and traversed 12 locks in one full day...Plus I found an internet connection, so you know in addition to the chocolate I'll be able to take care of my other addition (blogging)!

"Uncle Bill", me and Chip! A night to always remember!

**(For those of you that may not already know this: if you place your cursor [mouse] over any of the photos that appear inside the post [not the ones on the left] a little hand will appear and you can click on them and make them bigger for better viewing)...

We're In Canada, Eh!

We were up at dawn and left Oswego NY at 7a.m. on Friday July 4th along with two other "loopers", Southern Comfort and Sunshine. The 3 of us headed out to cross Lake Ontario in near perfect seas. Aside from the thousands of flies, it was a very nice cruising day. When we crossed the imaginary line in the water into Canada Chip sang the first chorus of Oh Canada, and I cried. Earlier in the day he put up our Canadian flag up on the radar mast- it was a proud and moving moment for both of us to be on Ithaka with both flags waving simultaneously.
Our two travelling buddies continued on to Picton as we headed into a beautiful little harbor called Prinyer's Cove. Checking into customs was so easy. Chip called from a payphone at the little general store at the marina. The authorities asked him several questions: Name and ID # of the vessel? Name and birth date of all passengers? Any tobacco or alcohol? Any guns? Pets on board? That's it!
We had a terrible phone connection, but still managed a garbled message to "Uncle Bill" who showed up at the boat a short time later...we were about 4 minutes from his house...he let us use his car to drive into Picton...sweet little town...nice art galleries and antique shops. We ended up spending all day Saturday at the boat...some cleaning (there's always something that needs to be polished)...it was a magnificent day~the weather has been amazing! At about 5 p.m. Bill's brother John and his son Blair along with his wife Lisa came to the boat to pick us up for dinner at Bill's. We gave them the tour of Ithaka...Lisa sat up on the fly bridge in the captain's chair and declared it her favorite spot on whole the boat! We had a very special evening with Bill and his family. His home is warm and comfortable and filled with many treasures from all around the world. Possibly his most precious, a framed picture of him on the farm done by Joscelyn when she was only 12 years old which he proudly shared with me. Thank you Bill for a wonderful night which we will consider one of the highlights of our entire trip. We hope to see you in Naples this Winter!
This morning we left Prinyer's Cove by 6 a.m. deeply inhaling the majestic sunrise--Not only because it is Sunday, but with all our hearts, we felt it...God is present in every moment, but in that moment--we had attended service in that breath. Thank you God for another blessed day.
We arrived in Trenton at about 1 p.m. after a picture perfect day travelling through the Bay of Quinte.
I am now sitting outside the Trenton Public Library (WiFi). My battery is getting low so I may not have time to download any photos...But, try to picture it...it's quite a sight...me, on the ground, outside the front door of the library, next to the book drop, typing away! What I won't do to keep all my blog readers happy! Anyway, tomorrow we head into the Trent Severn Waterway...and another adventure begins.

Next post I'll fill you in on some of the history of the area...

Day one~Leg II

We left Brewerton NY yesterday morning in a magical mist, and headed west on the Oneida River (all part of the New York canal system). Once we got to Three Rivers Junction (this place has always been easily identified and in the early 1700's the Indians used it as a meeting place) we headed north on The Oswego River. Construction on this "canal" began in 1826, one year after the Erie Canal was completed...(to connect Syracuse to Oswego). Just like the Erie canal, the Oswego canal was origianlly only 4' deep and had 18 locks. Today, the Oswego canal has a depth of 14' and we went through only 7 locks. My locking abilities were tested immediately, as well as my ability to "take orders"...a little rusty, I must admit, I bent my boat hook because I did not listen to my captain..."Honey, keep your boat hook above the railing!" So, Day one~ Leg II: Lesson one~boating 101, The Captain IS always right!

At Three Rivers Point (mile 133 of the Erie Canal) one could choose to turn left and cruise the Seneca River where you can actually travel down two of the the Finger Lakes to either Ithaca NY or Watkins Glen....or continue onto Lake Erie.

Most of the trip was very peaceful. There were two other "loopers" with us that we met at Winter Harbor. We saw lots of fish jumping, beautiful birds...rolling hills down to the river's edge...charming summer bungalows along the shore...and spotted some of the remains of the original Oswego canal along the way, too. Between locks 3 and 5 (there is no lock 4--long story), we passed Battle Island where a historic battle between the French and Bristish took place on July 3rd, 1756. 252 years ago to the day! As always, the people we met at the locks were fabulous....a special thank you to the Lock master at #23...(we forgot to buy a canal pass-it was free last summer) and Casey the wonder dog (I think he was at lock 6) who wanted to play fetch! An older couple in Phoenix NY had just gotten married, she was from Brooklyn, now living upstate and had never seen the boats lock through before.

Meeting friendly people carried over to today as we walked into town and got caught in the pouring rain and took shelter at The Oswego Fire Department. Five great guys on duty invited us in and let us hang out inside the station until the rain let up! I told them they'd make the blog!Thank you again guys! By the way, a great place for breakfast or lunch in downtown Oswego on the west side of the river is The Port City Deli and Bakery.

So far, so good. All forecasts predict a window for crossing Lake Ontario at first light. I think we may have 3 or more fellow loopers crossing with us...everyone is waiting for that window! We've got reservations at Waupoos Marina near Picton Ontario. Hopefully they have Wi-Fi so I can blog and we can stay connected...And so, till next time, thank you all for travelling along...may we all discover our "Ithakas". Amen.

Have a safe and happy 4th of July...and God Bless America!

One More Day!

Well, we have just about everything we need checked and double checked...we spent today tidying up all the last minute boat issues, another trip to West Marine, another trip to Walmart...Charting, checking GPS chips, fixing a small leak (ah yes, boat and leak should not be in the same sentence), getting our Verizon service to include Canada, going to the laundromat, taking the rental car back, finishing month end reports, solving a few closing challenges, picking up the upstairs canvas from the canvas repair place then re-installing it, finding a place for all our books, reorganizing the drawers and cupboards, reorganizing all the extra rolls of paper towels, water bottles, Cds, movies, hats...yes, hats! Chip must have 2 dozen ball caps on this boat! etc, etc...then calling ahead for our next marina reservations. Voila! One more day and we will be on our way!

Winter Harbor, here in Brewerton has been wonderful. (Their # if you are interested is: 315-676-9276). Great bunch of people. I wish it wasn't so far from home...it would be nice to cruise back...who knows, maybe someday we will. Tomorrow we are off to Oswego. A few miles up the road we turn right up the Oswego canal rather than left on the Seneca canal. Amazingly, from here you can actually travel by boat down the finger lakes via the canals and locks to Watkins Glen and Ithaca. I don't know how people could live in this part of the world without a boat! Imagine cruising from NYC to Quebec City! I have been tempting Chip with the idea of heading to Quebec City for their 400 year anniversary celebration. We have been there before. Twice. It is one of our most favorite cities. It would add at least another 2 weeks onto our trip, and I know Chip is looking forward to the peace and quiet of Georgian Bay--but, don't put anything past us...

Thank you again to Winter Harbor Marina!

It's Always Something

Chip and I have been working together all day to get our lady, Ithaka, ready for launch.

Yesterday we took her for a "wet run"...a shake down cruise across Oneida Lake and back. All systems were "go"! Captain Chip then checked under Ithaka, went below with his mask on and found a few items not to his liking. The crew here at Winter Harbor only want us to be happy, so they lifted her back out of the water AGAIN and took care of the items overlooked. I am currently doing a load of laundry to make sure the washer-dryer is functioning...We found a Super Walmart close-by and did most of our provisioning...I will be cooking on board tonight! Yeah! (For those of you reading this behind us on the loop~We did find a great little restaurant called The Clam Bar about 10 minutes away last night) While shopping today Chip couldn't believe I didn't want ice cream--I told him, "I am NOT gaining 10 lbs (or more) again this summer!" Chip's got the boat absolutely spotless--and I've pretty much got all our clothes and such put away...a place for everything and everything in its place. My onboard office is set up and we even got all our real estate "month end" reports out today. Hopefully in the next couple of days we will be able to hook up with either Meagan or Rocky to make sure the webcam is working (they both have web cams,too)...GREAT for communicating with those wonderful grand babies! "Helllooo"! Chip took the entire top canvas off to get re-sewn and thought we would have it back today...just got the call about 2 hours ago that it will probably not be ready until tomorrow, so we are here in Brewerton at least until then. I checked weather.com and Wednesday looks like a good day to begin the 2nd leg of this journey. We ran into a fellow at Walmart who recognized Chip from the marina and he mentioned Picton as a good place to enter Canada, so we are checking on that as an alternative to Kingston....that would be perfect because we were hoping to see Chip's brother-in-law Bill who lives in Picton! Gil called today and wished he was here...Chip suggested he and Pam meet us somewhere up near Collingwood the 3rd week of July. I sure hope they can make it! Meagan and Jay will be in Canada, not too far from where we expect to be, in the next couple of weeks, too! How wonderful it would be to meet up with them and see our sweet little Paige along the way! Amazing! We got to talk to Paige today while she and her Mommy were having a latte at Starbucks! Then Meagan sent us a photo! We talked to or emailed the office a few times and Sam and Krista are handling everything wonderfully! It won't be long and we might be out of touch for days on end, so it is good for now to hear from one and all...Thank you Mom, Bobby & Amelia, and Rocky and David for calling, too! Yikes! I think they miss us!

Well, it is good to be back on Ithaka. It really didn't feel like we had been away for nearly 10 1/2 months. Wow! Everything just seemed to fit together like we had only just left her...It is comfortable here on Ithaka. We are happy and even when "its always something", like getting her hauled out again, or the canvas not being ready, it doesn't faze us...This is where we are meant to be...and for those of you travelling along...we wish you were here, too, but you are always with us in our thoughts and prayers.

The Brooklyn Bridge

I arrived in New York on Wednesday night. Chip went on to Syracuse via JetBlue as I taxied off to Joe and Wendy's. Yesterday Wendy, Sofia and I scouted around Brooklyn for items Sofie needs for camp. Dinner out last night at a nice little Italian restaurant in their old neighborhood, then Joe drove us to the Brooklyn Bridge where we ate ice cream cones and watched the sunset over the New York skyline. Today I am trying to learn a new photo hosting system in order to keep better track of all the pictures I'll be taking this summer. It's a bit frustrating because I am on my laptop and without printing capabilities I keep having to go back into the instructions to figure things out rather than just print and refer to directions...add vistas to the mix and you can imagine how glad I am to have a few quiet hours to try to figure this out! Yes, Wendy is at her studio, Joe is working, Sandro is at the beach with friends, Sofia is out with a girlfriend and I am hanging with Luche (their bird, who is literally hanging) on Leonard Street in Brooklyn. I expect to be going to join Chip tomorrow as my dear friend Denise's father passed away yesterday (my prayers are with you 'Neecie) thereby changing our plans of spending a few days together up in Hudson en route to Chip. Originally I was going to take the train up to Hudson, but now I imagine I will just fly to Syracuse to be there sooner to help Chip with the daunting task of getting the boat readied for our journey.


Anyway, here goes...I am now going to attempt to move a photo over to the blog.

Ithaka~ the poem

Discovering Ithaka~ a journey "home"

In 1911, Greek poet, C.P. Cavafy wrote the intensely beautiful poem, Ithaka. It describes Odysseus' journey back to his island home of Ithaka after the end of the Trojan War. I came upon this poem quite by accident about 20 years ago and immediately it became one of my most favorites. I always kept a copy of it folded in my wallet, which I took out to read from time to time when I needed to remind myself that "life is about the journey, not the destination"...

When Chip and I bought our boat we went through the process of naming her much the same way as you do when you give birth. Knowing that once she's named, it is for always. (It's supposedly bad luck to change the name of a boat)...Being that she is an amazing shade of red, we thought we would give her a name which also described her appearance. Some of the finalists were "Red Shoes"...or "Ruby Slippers"...I am a big Wizard of Oz fan and I thought about Dorothy clicking her heals together, her red shoes getting her home. Then we liked "Pepe Caliente", Hot Pepper, but decided that was a bit too spicey for a trawler going 8 knots. We also considered Red Dawn and even thought a great big "SOLD" painted across the back of her would be clever. Then, one day it hit me...Ithaka. Perfect. The journey, yes! I read the poem to Chip and that was it, right then and there...our boat was Ithaka.

So, for all of you who have asked or wondered, here is the inspiration for naming our boat...

When you start your journey to Ithaka, pray the road is long,
full of adventure, full of knowledge.
Do not fear the Cyclopes or the angry Poseiden.
You will never meet such as these on your path
if your thoughts remain lofty,
if a fine emotion touches your body and your spirit.
You will never meet these monsters if you do not carry them in your soul,
if your soul does not raise them up before you.

Then pray that the road is long.
Pray that the summer mornings are many,
that you enter ports seen for the first time with such pleasure,
with such joy!
Stop at Phoenician markets and purchase fine merchandise,
mother-of-pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
pleasurable perfumes of all kinds,
as many as you can;
visit hosts of cities
to learn and learn from those who have knowledge.

Always keep Ithaka fixed in your mind.
To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do not hurry your voyage at all.
It is better that it take many years;
even to anchor at the isle when you are old,
rich with all you have gained along the way,
not expecting that Ithaka will offer you riches.

It is Ithaka that has given you the beautiful voyage.
Without her you would never have taken the path.
But she has nothing more to give you.
And if when you return you find her poor,
Ithaka has not defrauded you.
With great wisdom you have gained,
with so much experience,
you must surely have understood by then what Ithakas mean.

Amen

Started packing!

Everywhere in our house there are "looper" piles...in every corner...on the dining room table, in the den on my desk, the bar in the kitchen, in the bedroom on the floor...piles of charts, piles of "what to wear", piles of movies and books, camera, chargers, video camera, tapes, etc ... Lists of what to bring....Lists of things to do...Our plane reservations have now been made and it won't be long before will begin Leg II of "Discovering Ithaka"!

I just got back from Verizon and bought a new phone. They tell me my aircard won't work in Canada~I will be limited to blogging while in Canada only at such marinas and nearby towns where Wifi is available. I was very disappointed at learning this because last year our internet service was pretty good just about everywhere we went. Never did we have to worry about finding a marina with Wifi...it wasn't one of the amenities we looked for simply because the aircard worked fine. Some places had better service and reception than others...and there were times when "talking" to my grandbabies on the webcam looked and sounded like we were in some slow motion movie...This also means our emailing won't be as regular as usual either. Of course, we have Sam, Meagan and Krista handling the business at the office...and with luck, we will be accessible on the cell phone most days. We know they will be able to handle it and I am beginning to think this is the good Lord's way of really giving me a break (as I had some trouble detaching last summer)...I'm sure you all find that difficult to believe!

Looking forward to the fun again this summer on this amazing adventure. Thank you all for your support and prayers. Captain Chip & I are counting our blessings...oh yes, and packing!

Count down!

A year ago, right about now, we had rounded the Florida peninsula and were heading up the east coast...well on our way into the 1st leg of the journey of "Discovering Ithaka". Currently we are making a list and getting things done preparing to leave for the 2nd leg of this trip. I can't believe we are a month away from setting out into the horizon again...off on this adventure of a lifetime!

We got a call the other day from the marina in Brewerton New York where Ithaka spent the winter...they had taken Ithaka out of storage and put her in the water thinking we would be there mid-May. We told them last year that we were probably going to be the first boat in (before Labor Day) and the last boat out (after Memorial Day), but somehow something got lost in the translation when Chip spoke to them the last time...He told them to expect us in mid to late June BUT they circled mid-May in their calendar. Imagine their surprise when they called to find out where we were! So, back she went, up on her shelf...If that boat had a spirit I'm sure she would have felt the disappointment. I know I did...and it made me more ready for the trip than I had been and the reality of it being so near became more real, too.

Anyway, I am going to attempt to remember how to upload photos now onto the blog so you can see Ithaka getting pulled out of the water last summer. It's amazing how big she is when she's not floating! I will start blogging again from this point on, getting back into the rhythm of keeping our adventures online for you all to enjoy...hopeful that our aircard works in the remote areas of Georgian Bay. The response to my blog has been overwhelming. I am so happy so many people; loved ones and even perfect strangers, have commented on how much they looked forward to my entries. Thank you very much. Please feel free to add comments on the blog itself!

Let the count down to the 2nd leg of discovering Ithaka begin ...

"Travel is not a reward for working, it's an education for living."

~Gap advertisement

From Ithaka to Ithaca

Tonight is our last night away from home...we've spent a few days exploring the New York Finger Lakes region...From the MacKenzie-Child's Studio in Aurora, home also to Wells College, to the sweet little village of Skaneateles (pronounced "skinny atlas")...the Cayuga Wine Trail where we visited wineries including the oldest winery in the area, Lucas Vineyards...We drove through the beautiful campuses of Cornell University and Ithaca College overlooking the city of Ithaca. We were surprised to learn that Ithaca is home to over 100 waterfalls and we set out to find a few of them. The city's slogan is "Ithaca is Gorges" and our view from Cornell down through the gorge to the lake in the distance was spectacular! We walked across the gorge on a pedestrian suspension bridge. It was breathtaking...

Our stay was highlighted by the wonderful bed and breakfast that we serendipitously found on "Google". Situated on Country Road 34 on the east side of the lake, there is an 80 year old apple orchard and picture perfect English gardens...Recently refurbished and opened by a lovely young couple, The John Joseph Inn and Elizabeth Restaurant was such a rare treat. The host and hostess, their two beautiful sons and their pot belly pig named Prep made us feel so at home...John is a phenomenal chef...dinners were heavenly, but my favorite meal was his unique rendition of French toast. It is worth the trip to Ithaca just to stay at their inn.

...more to come once we get home and settled back to our wonderful life in Naples.

Chip Pix

Too many photos to just pick 3!

These are a few of my favorite pix of Chip! In the one where he is on the bike we were going to the P.O. to mail a package and he was on a business call.

We had a lot of quiet time along the way to read and I really like this photo of him...The t-shirt picture, well, I just couldn't resist adding it!

Last Stop...Winter Harbor

We made our way across Lake Oneida on water as smooth as glass...the last voyage for Ithaka in 2007...a much nicer ride than the day we left Naples 12 1/2 weeks ago where we had waves washing up over her bow. We were up before the sun and watched a glorious sunrise as the morning mist gave the horizon a muted tone...no hard edges today. Everything was silky.

The folks here at Winter Harbor in Brewerton New York are wonderful...we've spent the day completing the tasks necessary to get Ithaka ready for her Winter storage...The Summer went by quickly; I can hardly believe we are heading home in just a few days...too many memories to think about at once. When I look through all the photos I feel the need to pinch myself, "did I really do all that, see all those places, meet all those people ?" Once I get sometime to sort through all my emotions I know I will add a few more posts...a few more photos...

We rented a car and once she's out of the water, possibly as early as tomorrow morning, we are heading to Ithaca New York. We couldn't think of a better way to end our adventure but to spend it in another Ithaca...where else would we have gone? ..and so, Ithaka stops here in Winter Harbor, but our journey of "discovering Ithaka" goes on and on...

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." ~Dr. Seuss

I'll be brief...

We are laying low in Sylvan Beach New York...counting the days till we go home...Our internet connection is poor, so I may have to wait until we get to Brewerton, our last stop of the Summer, before adding additonal posts and pix.

We are cleaning the boat-stem to stern, shipping stuff home (we bought coffee table books at each beautiful spot we stopped) and trying to eat all the food in the 'fridge! (I'll diet next week).

Thank you to all who travelled along with us by reading our blog all Summer...we love and miss you all...your emails really helped keep us going.

Past times and Pastime

We kept very busy here in the Little Falls area. First on our list of must see places was The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. We rented a car and took a very scenic drive through the lovely farmlands which are cradled in the rolling foothills of the surrounding mountains...to the lovely little village of Cooperstown. It was induction weekend, so the whole town was buzzing...kids of all ages, wearing t-shirts of every major league team, crowded the streets of the charming main street-This was a dream come true for me...seeing the shrine to this sport's greatest players...many of whom I grew up worshipping because of the love of the game instilled in me by my father. "My" Yankees dominated the the tributes and their fans outnumbered the rest...We got to see Yogi Berra who was in town for the celebration, signing autographs...I was a kid again and it was great! On our way back to Ithaka we took a "deek" and found Hyde Hall...If you're interested more about this place can be found online at: http://www.hydehall.org/ The towns in this area are quaint and the lake is pristine.

On Friday and Saturday we visited some of the legendary places where great events and quiet heroes shaped the course of American History. Nearly 300 battles were fought during the Revolution to secure America's independence...almost 100 of them on New York soil. We went to Fort Stanwix, the site of the Battle of Oriskany, The Herkimer Home and the Erie Canal Village.

It was England's mission to separate New England from the southern colonies by capturing the strategic Mohawk and Hudson waterways...The siege at Fort Stanwix and the battle of Oriskany directly contributed to the great victory at Saratoga...and now we can say that we were here.

Visiting these places...actually seeing where these events took place...seeing where the Oneida Carrying Place was before the Erie canal connected the Mohawk River and Lake Oneida...understanding that this was the frontier at one time...the bravery of the Patriots and their families...many were German and Dutch immigrants...becoming more aware of the important role the Indians played in winning these decisive battles...re-learning the place in history filled by the French...the Loyalists...getting that feeling under your skin of what it must have been like to fight for what they believed in...This area is a rich cup running over with history...a valley of hallowed places...from Gehrig to Herkimer...great men are revered here and we are blessed to learn of their lives.

Lock E-17

Lock 17 requires westbound vessels to tie up on the south wall. This is the largest single step in the Erie Canal, over 40'. There are no pipes or cables so Chip & I had to hold the ropes bow and stern to keep Ithaka steady. We locked through with one other boat. It was a very impressive lock, we felt so small sitting up against the wall. I thought I'd add several "inside the Lock" photos on this post to give you the feeling...Another very interesting thing about this lock is the east gate is pulled up allowing boats to go under it...I got a little wet as we passed under it. It is one of only 2 locks in North America where the entrance gate is lifted! Now we are in Little Falls where we plan to stay a few days. "Life is good"

Learning the Ropes...Cables and Pipes

We had a great time yesterday! It rained most of the day and by the time we got to Amsterdam we were soaked to the bone and ready for a hot cup of soup and a hot shower. But, learning the locks was a lot of fun and much easier than I thought it would be. Once inside the lock we had to decide on either a port or starboard tie. We are ready on both sides at all times, but usually stuck to the right side in case another boat was waiting on the other side for entry. This also allows for better access for Chip to assist with the lines. He drove from the main salon rather than the flybridge all day...mainly due to the weather, but also to back me up in the locks! I developed my own style in the very first lock, which had pipes (similar to cables) as opposed to ropes. With cables and pipes you slip your mid-ship line around it, snug it up tight to the cleat onboard and help it move up the pipe or cable as the water comes into the lock while using the boat hook to keep the bow off the wall & the boat straight. Rather than try to get the entire line around the pipe at once I just put the bitter end through and then quickly pulled the rest of the line around. Easy. When there were no pipes or cables, only ropes, I would get the first line and pass it back to Chip with the boat hook so that he didn't have to leave the helm until I reached out and got the rope I was to hold at the bow. Chip would then walk his rope to the stern to keep Ithaka steady. Might be where the expression "learning the ropes" came from?

I thought Chip was completely going "overboard" (no pun intended) with all his "hull huggers"...No one else had their boat so loaded up with fenders and additional protection, but now that we have spent two days locking through I can honestly say, Chip did a wonderful job preparing Ithaka for her trip up the Erie. Those locks are slimy...and Ithaka is none the worse for the wear after 13 locks.

Amsterdam was just a place to spend the night...we didn't do any exploring. But, today we docked after Lock 12 and took the dinghy over to Schoharie Crossing. What's left is 6 of the 14 original arches in the aqueduct which was built over the Schoharie Creek in 1825. It was 600' long when it was completed and you can still see clearly where the water went through and where the mules walked above on the tow paths. This entire area has enormous historical significance. Whether one travels by car, train or boat you follow routes echoing names, places and events that nourished our heritage.

Tonight we are in Canajoharie...another little village along the canal that time seemed to forget. As we walked through the streets we realize that the citizens are doing their best to rekindle the fire that once burned in the soul of this town by creating art galleries and music in the park and renovating the beautiful structures...a few antique stores and gift shops fill the mostly empty storefronts on the main street. Just a side note; Beech-Nut foods started here in 1891 and the granddaughter of the founder gave over $8 million for a library and museum.